Package dispensing apparatus



March 13; 1956 J. P. BISESE PACKAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed June 29, 1955 INVENTOR JOHN PASQUAL BISESE,

ATT NEY N% ha March 13, 1956 J. P. BISESE PACKAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1955 R m E VE m E S B L A U Q S A P N H OJ ATTO EY aid PACKAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS John Pasqual Bisese, PrincessAnne County, Va.

Application June 29, 1955, Serial No. 518,721

4 Claims. (Cl. 221-295) This invention relates to package or articlehandling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for feeding ordispensing packages, one at a time, from rows stacked in racks orchutes.

In general, the present invention is concerned with systems for storingand dispensing packages of merchandise in a warehouse, as illustrated,for example, in Patents Nos. 2,276,294 and 2,353,394 to Paul M. Farmer.

In such systems, a row of similar rectangular packages is stacked in aninclined rack or chute, so that, when unrestrained, the packages movedown this chute by gravity, and are dischargedv from the lower endthereof. In the above mentionedpatents, the packages are normallyrestrained from'movement by engagement of the end of the lowermostpackage with a fixed abutment. Means are provided for lifting such enduntil it clears the abutment, when desired, so that the packages mayslide down the rack or chute until the next package engages theabutment, the first package, meanwhile, having been pushed over theabutment and discharged.

In practice, it is, of course, desirable to release and dispense thepackages by means controlled from a distance, and because of therelatively great force required to lift the packages over the abutment,the above described method is objectionable.

An object of the present invention is to devise improved,package-release mechanism in which a minimum of power is required tooperate the same, and in which the force for canting the package as itleaves the chute is supplied by the weight and movement of the packageitself.

1 Another object is to provide mechanism of the above character whichshall be low in cost, simple in construction, and positive and efiicientinoperation.

With the above and other objects in view, and to improve generally onthe details of such apparatus, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming .partof this specification, and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is' an end elevation of the lower end of the apparatus shown inFig. 2, parts being omitted for the sake of clearness; and

Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, are fragmentary diagrammatic views similar toFig. 2 showing successive steps in the operation of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved apparatus comprises aninclined rack or chute formed of a pair of spaced parallel frame members1 between which extend a plurality of parallel shafts 2. On these shaftsare mounted a plurality of rollers 3 of uniform size, these rollersserving to support the packages in a row, one behind the other inendwise abutting relation. Longitu- United States Patent 2,738,103Patented Mar. 13, 1956 ICC dinally extendingbrace members 4 are alsopreferably employed to connect the shafts 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

Guide rails 5, supported on brackets 6, are disposed at each side of therack or chute to retain the packages in position.

At the lower end of the chute is a member 7 mounted to rotate on atransverse horizontal axis. This member 7 is shown as in the nature of acylindrical cam or stop roller mounted on a transversely extending shaft8, and formed with a radially and longitudinally disposed shoulder 9, asbest shown in Fig. 2. The surface of the roller extending between theinner and outer edges of the shoulder 9 is. in the form of a spiral cam10.

Rigidly secured to the member 7 and rotating therewith is a catch ordetent 11 constructed to be engaged by a longitudinally extending latch12 pivoted at 13 to the frame 1. This latch is held in its upperposition, shown in Fig. 2, by means of a spring 14, interposed betweenthe latch and a bracket 1 depending from the frame 1. When in thisposition, the end of the latch engages the detent and thus locks thestop roller against rotation.

7 Also mounted on the bracket 1*, in a suitable position just below thelatch 12, is an electromagnet 15. The latch 12 is made of steel or othermagnetic material and serves as an armature for this magnet, so thatwhen the magnet is energized the latch 12 is attracted and drawndownwardly out of engagement with the detent 11, thus releasing the stoproller 7 and permitting it to rotate.

At the lower end of the rack or chute, above described, and beyond thestop roller 7, I preferably provide an auxiliary chute 1'. This isformed at its upper end with a pair of hooks 16 which engage over studs17 carried by the frame members 1, so that the auxiliary chute issupported on the main chute. In this auxiliary chute are mounted aplurality of rollers 3 similar to the rollers 3.

Beyond and below the auxiliary chute is preferably arranged a beltconveyor 18 carried by rollers 19, and adapted to receive the packagesdischarged from the auxiliary chute and convey them to any desiredlocation. 7 It will be understood that while I have illustrated in thedrawing only a single inclined rack or chute, a complete installationwould comprise a large number of such racks or chutes,'a group of thembeing arranged side by side in a common plane while other groups arearranged above them in superposed relation in parallel planes. Thus, alarge number of such racks or chutes may be mounted in assembledrelation in a warehouse or the like. The chutes lying in a common planemay all discharge onto the same conveyor, such as 18, and additionalconveyors may be arranged in superposed relation toreceive packagesdischarged from the upper groups of chutes. The conveyors 18 will bearranged to deliver the packages to some central point or loadingplatform where the packages may be conveniently handled.

The electromagnets 15 will of course be controlled from a switchboard ata central station, so that the operator positioned at such station mayselectively operate any desired electromagnet in the entire warehouseand may thus selectively discharge onto the conveyor or con- .veyors 18any desired packages from any of the racks The operation of themechanism will now be described. In Fig. 2 a row of similar packages,disposed in end to end relation on the chute, and having fiat ends andrectilinear bottoms, are indicated at A, B and C. The end of thelowermost package A is supported on the lowermost part of the cam andnormally abuts against the shoulder 9 of the stop roller, and the entirerow is thus held in position, the roller itself being locked by thedetent 11 and latch 12. When the electromagnet 15 is energized and theholding means thus released, the weight of the package on the inclinedchute causes the stop roller 7 to rotate, this roller being frictionallydriven by the engagement of the lowermost package therewith as theroller turns, the package rides up on the cam, and is lifted thereby.The position of the parts immediately after the latch has been withdrawnis shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the parts amoment later, when the stop roller has turned approximately half wayaround and the package A is supported on this roller at approximatelyits mid-point x, in raised position.

Fig. 6 shows the position an instant later in which the center of thepackage has passed over the roller to a slight extent and the packagetips over and begins to ride up on the high side of the cam 10. It willbe noted that in this position the package A is being pushed forward bythe package B. It will be further noted that, as the center of thepackage shifts over the roller from the position shown in Fig. 5 to thatshown in Fig. 6, the package is canted or tilted to a different angle.This angle may approximate that of the auxiliary chute 1', which, asshown in the drawings, is disposed at a somewhat steeper incline thanthe main chute. Since the package is already raised to a higher plane,as above described, it is desirable to allow it to tilt, i. e., to allowthe front end to drop, after its mid point passes over the cam, toenlist the aid of gravitation in causing an accelerated movement of thepackage.

It will be understood that in the carrying out of my invention, theperiphery of the stop roller 7 must be chosen with regard to the lengthof the packages being dispensed. In practice, stop rollers will be madein different sizes or diameter, and will be interchangeable, so that aroller of suitable size may be employed in accordance with the length ofthe particular packages being dispensed.

It so happens that the sizes of packages used in the wholsesale grocerytrade are fairly well standardized, so that in order to handle, say, onethousand different items, not more than eight or ten dilferent sizes ofrollers would be required.

I find it advantageous to make the periphery of the roller slightly lessthan the length of the package, with the result that the stop shoulder9, after the roller makes one revolution, returns to its startingposition slightly before the package completely clears the roller. Thus,when the roller is stopped, after making one revolution, by reengagementof the latch 12 with the detent 11, the stop shoulder 9 has reached theproper position to be engaged by the next package, while the rear end ofthe lowermost package is still resting on the high point of the cam, asillustrated in Fig. 7. It may be considered as being pushed off by thesucceeding package as the latter moves into engagement with the stopshoulder, but each package, including the last, will in fact travelcompletely down the chutes by gravity, under the influence of its ownmomentum.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated the final step in the operation, in which thefirst package is rolling down the auxiliary chute on its way to theconveyor 18, while the next package is stopped against the shoulder 9 ofthe cam roller.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a storage anddispensing system .for packages .having flat ends and rectilinearbottoms in which the packages move by gravity down an inclined chute andare released one at a time at each rotation of the stop roller. It willfurther be seen that this stop roller is operated by the weight of thepackages themselves, and that the lifting of each package isaccomplished by the cam roller which is frictionally driven by thepackage itself. Thus, the force required to operate my improveddispensing device is reduced to a minimum, the only power necessarybeing that sufiicient to enrgize the magnet 15. It will be understoodthat the switch at the switchboard or control staion (not shown) is soconstructed that, when operated, it will energize the magnet 15 onlymomentarily, the spring 14 serving to return the latch to operativeposition, as shown in Fig. 5, immediately after the energization of themagnet, so that it is in position to engage the detent again when thelatter reaches locking position.

What I claim is:

1. An inclined chute for supporting a series of similar rectangularpackages for endwise linear movement, and means at the lower end of saidchute for normally rcstraining the packages from movement and fordispensing the packages one at a time from said chute, said meanscomprising a stop roller in the form of a cylindrical cam extendingtransversely of the chute, means for normally holding said rolleragainst rotation, said roller having a single radially andlongitudinally disposed shoulder against which the flat end of thelowermost package abuts, remote controlled means for momentarilyreleasing said holding means so as to allow said roller to rotate andthe packages to move, the lowermost package, when said roller isreleased, riding over and frictionally turning the same, and saidholding means serving to stop rotation of said roller after it has madeone revolotion, and the shoulder has returned to its original position,the periphery of said roller and the length of the package being soproportioned that said shoulder will return to its original positionslightly before the package has completely cleared the same.

2. An inclined chute for supporting a series of similar packages forendwise linear movement, said packages having fiat ends and rectilinearbottoms, and means at the lower end of said chute for normallyrestraining the packages from movement and for dispensing the packagesone at a time from said chute, said means comprising a rotary member inthe form of a single cylindrical spiral cam extending transversely ofthe chute, the high side of the cam terminating in a radially disposedshoulder against which the fiat end of the lowermost package abuts,means for holding said member against rotation, and remote controlledmeans for momentarily releasing said holding means so as to allow saidmember to rotate and the packages to move, the lowermost package, whensaid member is released, resting upon and frictionally driving the same,the rectilinear bottom of such lowermost package riding up on the highside of the earn as it turns, so that the package is lifted and cantedthereby as it goes over, and said holding means serving to stop rotationof said member after it has made one revolution.

3. An inclined chute for supporting a series of similar elongatedpackages having flat ends and rectilinear bottoms for endwise linearmovement, a transversely extending, horizontally disposed cylindricalspiral cam at the lower end of said chute, means for normally holdingsaid cam against rotation, the lowermost package bearing against saidcam and thus restraining all of the packages from movement, means formomentarily releasing said holding means to permit said cam to turn,said cam being so constructed and arranged that each successive package,moving under the influence of gravity, rides up on and turns said cam asit moves, and is lifted by the cam .as the latter turns, and means forstopping rotation of the cam after it has made one revolution.

4. An inclined chute for supporting a series of similar elongatedpackages having flat ends and rectilinear bottoms for endwise linearmovement, a transversely extend- 5 ing, horizontally disposedcylindrical earn at the lower end of said chute, means for normallyholding said cam against rotation,the lowermost package bearing againstsaid cam and thus restraining all of the packages from movement, meansfor momentarily releasing said holding means to permit said cam to turn,said cam being so constructed and arranged that each successive package,moving under the influence of gravity, rides up on and turns said cam asit moves, and is lifted by the cam as the latter turns, the periphery ofthe cam being so propor- 10 for stopping rotation of the cam after ithas made one revolution.

No references cited.

